Delinter



Feb. 9, 1943. l

J. B. RICKER 2,310,598

DELIN'I'ER I Filed Feb. 12, 1942 21 FIG. I

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JOHN BRICKER BY l AT TY J. B. RICKER Feb. 9, 1943.

DELINTER Filed Feb. 12, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R E K mm m8 M J ATTY Patented Feb. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in deiinters, such as are used in oil mills prior to crushing the seed, and particularly to delinters of the saw type which remove the residual linters from the cotton seed after the seed has been subjected to ordinary ginning and the long cotton fiber removed.

The present application part of my pending application, 375,391, filed January 22, 1941.

Since the invention by Whitney of the cotton gin the cotton fiber has been removed from the seed by saws having sharply pointed arcuate teeth with under-cut throats, which teeth hook into the fiber and pull it 01! the seed, leaving a considerable amount of lint from which the longer fibers are broken off and also a certain amount of fuzz too short for engagement by the saws.

Cotton fiber or lint removed from the seed by the delinter saws engages rather firmly in the throat of the saw teeth, and brushes revolving at a much higher rate of speed than the saws are largely used for dislodging the fiber from the saws, the fiber removed being thrown outward from the gin by the brush action. Attempts also have been made to substitute for the brush high pressure air currents impinging tangentially along the line of movement of the saw teeth to dislodge and carry away the fiber, and similarly vacuum action has been tried to establish a high speed current for withdrawing the fiber from teeth throats and discharging it from the gin.

Subsequent to types are used for is a continuation in Serial No.

ginning, delinters of various cutting 06 the linters left on the seed after the ginning. At the present time these devices are largely of the saw typ differing primarily from the gin in that the teeth of the saws are straight, though usually not radial, and are of rectangular cross section providing cutting surfaces, and provide little resistance to the discharge of the lint by centrifugal force, and substantially none to the release of heavier particles of trash and motes. Even so the linters are so light that assistance is necessary to accomplish their removal, and it has been assumed that brushes or high speed pressure air currents must be used. These devices remove the llnters. and with them the trash. but they lntermlx the materials and create such turbulence as to carry substantially all of the motes and trash away with the haters and so reduce the quality of the linters collected as to require subsequent troublesome and expensive processes for cleaning.

My previous application disclosed a device in which the heavier particles, such as motes and trash, plummeted through a floating mass of lint, the separation thus accomplished being a substantial advance in desired separation.

The objects of the present device are:

To provide means and methods for first removing the trash and motes from the saws and subsequently removing the linters;

To provide means for accomplishing the remove] and separation which takes advantage of centrifugal force for removing the trashy heavier materials, and inherently therewith minor portions of the lint. and subsequently removing the remaining major portion of the lint and concurrently accomplishing the recapture of these lighter materials and their removal and collection with the major portions of the lint and delivery thereof.

To provide means for adjusting the removal apparatus to conform certain portions thereof to the saws as they are reduced in diameter from time to time by sharpening, and to independently adjust portions of the apparatus to conform it to varying conditions. as of moisture content, and amount and nature of the heavier particles which are to be allowed to discharge independently of the lint removal.

Further objects are:

To improve the design and construction of such apparatus.

Primarily these objects are accomplished by establishing a discharge opening through which the heavier particles may be directly discharged by centrifugal force and means in connection therewith for controlling the size and positioning of the opening relative to the saws, and the direction of the controlling surfaces extending from such opening; and in connection with such controlled opening establishing therebelow and thereafter in discharge sequence, a passageway conforming closely to the contour of the saws through which air is drawn through a suitable opening positioned to establish air currents aug menting those set up by the saws and opposing air currents meeting the first currents of such opening and opposing those set up by the saw.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished and the method of their accomplishment will readily be understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross section of the device taken as on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a partial rear elevation with the ex- 2 o,sio,sos

treme right side of the view in section on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals:

II are frame parts of the delinter, II a saw shaft on which are mounted a bank of saws ll. spaced apart as by collars i1, ordinarily one hundred and five or one hundred forty-one saws being used. is are ribs which lie between the saws and hold back the seed so that the linters may be stripped from them. Ii is a shaft having blades disposed in adjacency to the saws and ribs to create in the seed a roll." such as inherently set up in a gin by the cotton itself. This roll is mounted in a breast box which includes longitudinally disposed members 23 and II, respectively vertically adjustable as by screws 21, (one only shown) and downwardly inwardly adjustable by screws 28 (one only shown), whereby the ribs may be lowered and inwardly moved at such times as the saw teeth are sharpened and the diameter of the saws thereby reduced, in order to maintain proper extension of the saws through and beyond the ribs; all of such parts, including the adjusting means. being commonly a part of usual delinters.

Disposed at opposite ends of the bank of saws are plates II (one only shown) which overlap the end saws of the bank and extend rearwardly and downwardly therefrom. The upper front portions of these plates are cut away. as along the lines 3l-A, 3iB, to lie behind the breast box member 23, and rearwardly and beneath the collars II on the saw arbor, the lower portion of the plates. along the cut away line Il-B, being so spaced below the collars as to permit subsequent adjustment of the plates relatively to the saws. The bottom portions of these plates extendforward into adjacency with the forward edges of the saws and underlie the end collars holding the saws. ll is an air flue, preferably of circular cross section which is disposed lengthwise beneath the bank of saws and preferably at its opposite ends extends beyond the plates II, the plates in such case arcuately embracing, and resting on, the upper portion of the flue and being preferably rigidly secured thereto as by welding. The end plates additionally are rigidly spaced and braced, as by a rod 35 extending from plate to plate. and rigidly secured at its respective ends to said plates.

The opposite ends of the air flue are closed by heads, as the head 31, which may be solid or if desired provided with a shutter 38 slidably disposed in guideways I9A.

Adjacent its opposite ends the flue is preferably enclrcled by flat stiilening bands, as the band ll, secured to the flue, preferably as by welding, and is provided with laterally extending ears 0, 45. secured preferably to the bands, as by welding. and suitably braced as by gussets 43-A, |8-A respectively. similarly secured to the bands. The projecting ends of the ears are respectively slidably mounted in suitable vertically disposed guideways 41 and Il, preferably channels, the channel 41 being shown supp and braced by a frame part liA and the channel l! by a transversely disposed angle iron II which in turn is secured to the frame parts ii. Secured as by welding to, and extending downward from, the ears, are supporting and adjustin: rods II, it, which extend through suitable openings in the horizontal leg of the angle II and are threaded to receive nuts ll-A, Ii--A through which support by, anchorage to. and adjustment vertically relatively to, the angle iron is accomplished.

The flue 88 is longitudinally apertured at 13-A, substantially from end plate to end plate, the slot being disposed substantially vertically below the saw shaft II. Extending upward from opposite sides of the slot are walls 11, I! which extend from end plate to end plate and establish therewith a longitudinally disposed upwardly extending air channel. The upper edges of these channel walls flare respectively outward to hinge pins II, it, which extend through the walls II. The pins respectively hingedly connect the walls II, II, to wing plates 06. I1, arcuately curved to conform more or less closely around the saws. These wing plates extend from end wall to end wall and may be stiffened from time totime as by conformingly curved stifleners il-A, "-4. From the hinge pins they extend arcuately outward and upward, the plate it being supported additionally by a rod ll extending through end plate slots, as the slot ll-A, concentric with the hinge pin I, and theplatc I by a rod H extending through end plate slots, as the slot II- A, concentric with the hinge pin it, the rods being clamped to support the wings in adjusted positions as by the nut II, (Fig. 2).

The wings have slidably disposed arcuate wing extensions 1!, II respectively. which are adjustably secured to their respective wings as by the bolts and nuts IO, (Fig. 2) shown extending from the wing extensions ll through slots IO-A in the wing 81.

The wing extension ll carries at its upper edge a horizontally disposed pin Ii, which because of necessary adjustments, preferably does not extend through the end walls. This pin serves as a hinge pin for a wing ilap l! which extends adjustably rearwardly and maybe supported additionally by a rod 86 extending through end plate slots, as the slot "-11, (Fig. 1) and is clamped in similar manner to the rod ll.

Vertically spaced above the wing flap 83 is an upper flap I1 which is mounted on, and preferably rigidly secured to, a rod ll. having its ends extending through vertically disposed slots, as the slot iii, in the end plates. This rod may be provided with an adjusting arm I! exterior to the plate through which adjustment of the angularity of the flap can be readily effected. Holding oi the flap in adjusted position is effected as by tightening nut ll to eifect frictional holding. Obviously the hub of the arm ll must be slidabie along the rod II, the rod and hol in'the hub preferably being square to permit sliding and yet effect turning.

The wing flap II and upper ilap 81 cooperate with the end walls ll to establish the discharge opening through which the heavier particles are discharged from the saws and by virtue of their adjustability accomplish the proper positioning of the top and bottom edges of the opening. Also by virtue of the angular additional adjustment they cooperate to establish a rearwardly open chamber in which it is definitely possible to recapture at least a major portion of the lint carried away from the saws by the heavy particles.

The air line 03 is additionally longitudinally apertured at the bottom to provide an opening 91 through which the lint is withdrawn from the flue. To eii'ect this withdrawal one or more suction dues 98, two here being indicated, are provided, which flues each respectively diverge in vertical dimension and converge in horizontal dimension into a tubular section "II, here nelway established by the extension II and the 3. A delinterin accordance with claim 1, which wing plate CI in direction opposed to the rotation includes means for adjusting the rearward edge of the saws which suc essfully checks and Preoi the lower wall or said mote chamber relatively reoi.

Alter operation has been set up the inner edge apart to embrace said bank, said walls having or the flap 88 is ordinarily raised to reduce the edge portions overlapping the rear, and bottom, openin for mote discharge, this raising eing peripheral portions of said arms; upper and lower continued until it is es ablished that further raiswall members spaced apart, cooperatively spaning would cause motes to be carried in with the ning from end wall to end wall and lying rearllnt. After such raising the rear edge of the wardly or said saws, said wall members being powi nap l: is adjusted, usually upward. until a sltloned to establish an opening for centrifugal maximum amount or lintisbeingrecapturcdfrom discharge from said saws substantially en that carried outward by the motes. Adjustment above the level of the axis or said saws, and said the or edge of the upper ilap may be lower wall member extending forwardly into admade to reduce the area of the rear 0 and iacency with the peripheral edges ofsald saws an at such point increase the speed of inward flow of arcuate wall 5 g from end wall to end wall the air and further retard the escape of lint with extending from the forward edge of said lower th mote wall member, arcuately downward, forward and after the machine has been set for upward in conforming adjacency to the periphoperation no further adjustment is necessary until cry of said saws to establish a passageway therethe saws have been harpened until their diamalong, said arcuate wall being interrupted vereter has been appreciably reduced. Alter such tlcslly below the arbor of said saws to form a disthe air flue may be raised hrough charge opening, segregating said passageway into the medium oi the nuts "-A, "-A. the ng approach nd de a t re po iti ns. a removal pasand." must also be adjusted. through said removal passageway to draw in lint It will be understood that the wing pins II and through said approach, and substantially preu may be rigidly secured to the wing plates II, I? vent escape of lint through said departure pasrespectlvely, and provided with adjusting a ms sageway.

corresponding to the arm II on the rod I! and 5. A delinter in accordance with claim 4, which these arms be used in accomplishing the adjustincludes means for adjusting the level oi the ment of these wing plates, and that numerous forward edge of said lower wall member.

edges of the saws, rearwardly of and below said disposed in longitudinal alinement with and ver w arbor; an elongated air flue closed at its tl'cally below said arbor and saws, and an exhaust nd disposed in longitudinal alinement with and passageway leading from said flue, said flue havvertically below said arbor and saws, and an exe a zi nal penin ex endin substantialhaust passageway leading from said flue; said 1y from one said end wall to the other thereof,

end wall to end wall curving respectively rearlacency with t e periphery 0 said saws, said wardly and upwardly, and forwardly and uprearwflrdly and pwardly extending wall conwardly in adiacency with the periphery of said min t a Junction with the formed edge of of said mote chamber; said arcuate walls in 00- said saw bank forming respectively air passageoperation with said end walls and said saw bank Ways leading downwardly and forwardly from fol-mm tively passageways ieading said chamber in cooperative relation with the downwardly and forwardly from said chamber in M movement of said saws to draw lint from said in opposed relation to the movement of said saws lit past said flue Opening. means for adjustin to oppose movement of lint past said line Said a lfl c Walls ra ia y with respect to said opemnm an of saws, means respectively for independ- 2. A delinter in accordance with claim 1 which ently va yin h levels of h forward edges oi includes means for adJusting the level of the the lower and upper walls of said air chamber. iorward edge of the lower wall of said mote 7. A device in accordance with claim 6, which hambe includes means for independently varyi the levels of the rear edges of said upper and lower air chamber walls relatively each to its respective forward edge.

8. In combination with a delinter employing a bank of delinter saws, walls forming a chamber open front and rear, said walls being positioned to establish an opening for centrifugal discharge from said saws substantially co-extensive with the length of said bank and substantially entirely above the level of the axis of said saws, the lower of said walls extending forwardly into adjacency with the peripheral edges of said saws. walls forming a flue leading from adjacency with the periphery of said bank of saws substantially vertically below the arbor of said saws; wall means in adjacency to, and cooperating with, said bank of saws extending from the forward edge of the lower wall of said chamber, arcuately downward and forward to said flue to establish a lint capturing passageway leading along said saw bank into said flue; additional wall means, in adjacency to and cooperating with said bank of saws, extending arcuately downward and rearward 'therealong to said flue to establish a lint repelling passageway into said flue, and means for setting up exhaust flow of air through said flue and said lint capturing and lint repelling passageways.

9. In combination with a delinter employing a bank of delinter saws, walls forming a chamber open front and rear, said walls being positioned to establish an opening for centrifugal discharge from said saws substantially coextensive with the length of said bank and substantially entirely above the level of the axis of said saws, the lower of said walls extending forwardly into adjacency with the peripheral edges of said saws, walls forming a flue leading from adjacency with the periphery of said bank of saws below the arbor of said saws: wall means cooperating with said bank of saws extending from the forward edge of the lower wall of said chamber, arcuately downward and forward to said flue to establish a lint capturing passageway along said saw bank into said flue; additional wall means, cooperating with said bank of saws, extending downward and rearward along a substantial arc of said saw bank to said flue to establish a lint repelling passageway into said flue, means for arcuately adjusting the length of said additional wall means to increase or diminish said repelling air flow, and means for setting up exhaust flow through said flue passageway from said lint capturing and lint repelling passageways.

10. In combination with a delinter employing a bank of delinter saws, a pair of end walls spaced apart to embrace the end saws of said bank, said walls having edge portions overlapping the rear and bottom peripheral portions oi said end saws; and upper and lower wall members spaced apart, cooperatively spanning from end wall to end wall and lying rearward of said saws, said upper and lower walls being positioned to establish an opening for centrifugal discharge from said saws substantially entirely above the level of the axis of said saws and said lower wall extending forwardly into adjacency with the peripheral edges of said saws; an arcuate wall spanning from end wall to end wall extending from the forward edge of said lower wall, arcuately downward, forward and upwardly in conforming adjacency to the periphery of said saws to establish a passageway therealong, said arcuate wall being interrupted vertically below the arbor of said saws, a passageway leading downwardly and away therefrom, and means for setting up exhaust flow through said latter passageway from said arcuate passageways.

JOHN B. RICKER. 

